Seat Fee?
A friend, who had book several months ago for trip this Thursday, had emergency surgery which makes her need aisle seat (leg walker cast). She called the airlines, she and husband had middle and window seats and they said no problem its only $15 per flight to change the seat. She paid up but is wondering since the seats were already paid for and she is not changing flights simply seats what’s with this? She also checked airlines flight and it does show several empty aisle seats.
Opinions please?

Depends on the airline. In particular, Northwest marks some of its seats as "premium" ones and charge extra if you want those.

Your friend should just declare herself handicapped. I don't think they'll charge her anything.

What airline?

Continental. She told them the whole story gave them the doctors # to verify it and it was basically so sorry you want a seat change you pay.
Prior to this she had called her TA (who IMHO is PPoor)to take care of it and was told she had to do it personally, which to me is just a lazy way out. I can understand them charging if you want a certain seat or in line with new rules etc. But this does nothing for customer relations.

Continental does not charge extra for any seat. Either you can get a seat or not.

You can change your seat online, or if there's a problem call continental's website support desk at 800-300-1547.

Totally agree with rkkwan. I've never been charged extra for a seat on CO - someone's either got their story mixed up or is giving out wrong info. You can change your seat online anytime. I always check in 24 hrs in advance (when they free up the seats "on hold&quot and more often than not am able to get a better seat.

Just changed my seat for a June 11 flight on-line today using www.aa.com. No problem. Avoid calling unless you have a problem. Then, let them know that you did try on their website.

Maybe the $15 charge was for using the call center to get the change completed, not for the seat. And one would have to use the call center because handicap seats cannot be selected online. If they just gave her a "free" aisle seat, I don't see how an aisle seat would help her. She can't stick her foot in the aisle, too much traffic & carts - OUCH.

She can wait until the day of flight to get a handicap seat at checkin, but that is risky since she must have one. Could be none left by the time she checks in.

My brother got an advance assignment to a handicap seat once by calling in & explaining his knee surgery. So getting a handicap seat can be done in advance - maybe not on all airlines. IMO that is what she should try to get, not an aisle seat.

Thanks for all this info I have just printed and sent if off to her the flight is around midnight tonight and hopefully she get some adjustment. Perhaps she did use a call center that I don't know. Will let you know in a couple of weeks when she comes back.
Thanks again

Update: I just got an email from her. Once she arrived at airport and went through the desk persons she got a manager who refunded, well gave her credit voucher for the charge +50% of total. So it turned out ok in the end. She said she was told that however that is the new policy and that starting 4/21/08 they had posted any changes made will incur fees. Seat change, row change anything like that, if the airline makes the change no fee, if you make the change you pay. So heads up!

Joanne -
I believe the fee applies only if you CALL the airline to make the change. If you do it online there is no fee (other than any change fee that would apply on certain discounted fares)

Changing a seat is not a change in the ticket. The story doesn't add up. Sorry, but I've never heard such a thing on Continental.

There's some miscommunication somewhere, sometime.

That I can't say I only know what she told me. I would think however that from what she told me she did call the airline so quite possibly did get the call center and hence the charge.